• When choosing the locations to mount your solar panels try to make sure they will be free of shade spots caused by other things mounted on your roof such as the AC.
• Although I could have used silicone to seal the screw holes when mounting the solar panels, Dicor is a better option and is specifically made for sealing roof penetration points.  The reason that I did not use Dicor to seal the wire entry points into the concentrator box is because Dicor is self leveling (and more liquid) and would have just dripped away.
• For optimum solar panel performance, make sure to get up on the roof and clean the solar panels occasionally.  A little dust should not affect them too badly; however, if you let the dust accumulate for a long time they could lose efficiency.  I would suggest cleaning them every 4 months at a minimum.
• Be sure to check your connectors and cabling at least once a year.  Connections can become loose over time since RVs are subject to a lot of bouncing and shaking while traveling.
• Plan everything carefully from the start and make the least amount of penetrations into your roof as possible while still mounting everything securely.  Once you start drilling holes or screwing in screws, changing plans becomes more difficult.
• Most importantly, take your time and do it right.  Take pride in your installation, and take the time to make it neat and clean.
• Document everything that you do.  You may need to fix something years down the road and if you don’t remember how you did things, it is going to make it more difficult.
• Enjoy and have FUN

Next: Choosing The Right RV Batteries  |  Home